Apparatus for controlling electric circuits



1,622,004 March 1927" w. $CHWAGERMANN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed April 1, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR A TTORNE Y6 arch 27 w. SCHWAGERMANN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Filed April 1, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR QM ,La. .4 TTORNE v.1

Patented lVlar. 22 1927. UNITED STATES J 1,622,004 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SCH'WAGERMANN, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WARD LEONARD ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

Application filed April 1, 1922. Serial No. 548,868.

This invention relates to controlling ape paratus for the control of a number of dif ferent electric circuits such asfor changing the electric lighting effects in theatres. This is usually accomplished by dimmer equipments in which one or more banks of rheostats, or other controlling means, are varied or adjusted to give the effects desired from time to time.

One important object of this invention is to not.only provide controlling apparatus which will occupy as small a space as possible, but will also be adapted to be conveniently and quickly operated and give flexibility of adjustment in securing the desired changes in lighting effects from time to time. My invention is particularly well adapted for use in the control of the lighting effects in motion picture theatres and for this purpose it is desirable to have the motion picture operator also control, in the motion picture booth, the changes in lighting effects. lighting control is not only limited requiring small size of control equipment, but the convenience in control above referred to, is essential so as to free the operator from complicated work in obtaining the change in lighting effects.

It is often necessary to dim one or more groups of lights on one or more dimmers, while at the same time brightening one or more other groups of lights on different dimmers. It is also desirable to permit one or more groups of lights to be separately and independently controlled as desired to secure special lighting effects. By my invention groups of lights may be controlled simultztneously and oppositely, and at the same time the maximum flexibility of con trol is obtained by proper setting and manipulation of the different units. Other objects and advantages of my invention will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of one of the adjustable coupling units; Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views showing theparts adjusted to different positions than shown in F ig.

- 3; Fig. 6 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 5 and looking from the right; litig. 7 is an enlarged sectional new of a portion Here the space available for of meet the coupling units; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8.8 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a side view of one of the loosely mounted collars and its arm and showing the drive shaft in section.

Mounted on a suitable supporting frame is any required number of rheostats 10 which in this instance are in the form of plates having the resistance elements embedded in insulating material and connected in the usual way to one or more series of fixed contacts 11. In this instance two circular rows of contacts 11 are shown, over which travels the contact arm 12 which cuts resistance in and out of the circuit, as the contact arm is moved about its center. A stop 13 limits the movement of the contact arm in its extreme positions which is the resistanceall-in position or the resistance-all-out position and accordingly controls the lights on the circuit to which the rheostat is connected. In some cases two or more rheostats will be connected in series or in parallel on the same circuit for securing the desired results, as is understood by those skilled in the art. The contact arm 12 has a hub 14 around which is passed the link chain 15 and the ends of which are connected to a bow 16 which in turn is connected to a controlling rod 17. Evidently longitudinal movement of the bow and rod '17 will cause'the contact arm 12 to be driven by means of the chain 15. Around the same hub 14 of the rheostat is also passed another chain 15 which in'turn is connected to a how 16 and a controlling rod 17'. The two cont-rolling chains and bows are reversely or oppositely arranged in relation to the hub 14 so that downward movement of rod 17 will give the same direction of movement to the contact arm 12 as an upward movement of the controlling rod 17 and vice versa; and when the contact arm is in one limiting position,

one of the controlling rods is up and the neaaeoa worm drives the worm-wheel 2a which is fixed to the shaft 21. The shaft 21 carries a downwardly extending arm 25 which extends between stops 26- fixed to the frameand thus limit the rotation of the main shaft 21 in each direction.

In order to secure operation of the rheostats with the desired flexibility of control and adjustability as desired, the rods 17, 17 from the rheostats are coupled to the main drive shaft 21 by a plurality of adjustable devices now to be described. These devices are similar to each other and their construction is shown in Figs. 3 to 9. Each comprises a U shaped element 27, the ends of which are pivotally mounted upon the shaft 21. Between them on the shaftare three collars 28, 29 and 29'. The middle collar 28 is fixed'to the shaft 21 and the two collars 29 and 29' are loosely mounted .thereon. Each of the collars has a similarly formed slot 30 adapted to be engaged by a pin or plunger. On the element 27 is mounted another, U shaped element 31 having itslower leg secured to the top of the element 27. The handle 32 carries a rod 33 which passes free ly through and is guided by the legs of the element 31 and the top portion of the element 27 so that its end is opposite the collar 28. A spring 33 on the rod 33 and located between the upper leg of the element 31 and a pin and collar. on the rod 33, tends to push the rod 33 inwardly so that its lower end will engage the slot in the collar 28. When thus engaged the handle and the frames 27 and 31 are locked to the shaft 21.

The frames 31 and 27 also carry pins or plungers 34, which are guided by the frames and freely movable therein, the same as the rod or plunger 33. The plungers 3 1 and 35 also carry springs 34: and 35 ar--- ranged similarly to the spring 33 and tend to push plungers 34, 35 inwardly to engage the slot 30 in thecollars 29, 29 respectively. When either of the collars 29, 29' is engaged by its corresponding plunger, it will, be locked to the frame of the device and if the rod 33 is in its slot, it will also be locked to the shaft 21. Each collar 29, 29' has secured thereto an extension or arm 36., 36 respectively. These arms are pivotally connected respectively with the rods 17, 17 which control the rheostat arms as already described.

Above the upper leg of the frame 31 is located, on the rod 33 a sleeve 37 the upper surface of which forms a cam. The sleeve has a longitudinal slot 33 in one side thereof in which is normally located a pin 39' fixed to and extending from the rod 33, so that the sleeve 37 is thus locked to the rod 33. When the handle is pulled outwardly and turned slightly, the pin 39 will engage a shoulder 19 on the sleeve 37 on one side of the slot 38 and then the handle an its rod is held against the pressure of spring 33" and held out of en agement with the slot in the collar 28 and thus disengaged from the shaft 210 By turning the handle slightly the pin 39 will engage the slot 38 and spring 33' will cause the handle and frame to he again locked to the shaft 21.

Each of the plungers 3t, 35 carries, at its upper end, ahead 34, 35 and these heads are engaged by the cam surface of the sleeve 37 and held in engagement with the cam surface by the springs on theplungers. The top portion of the sleeve 37 is cut away at one side so as to form two inclined cam surfaces 37 sloping toward eachother. This cut away portion is diametrically opposite the slot 38. Halfway. between the slot 38 and the lowest part of the cut away portion and at the upper edges of the sleeve 37 are two small notches 37" opposite each other.

In the position of the device shown in Fig. 3 the sleeve is shown turned in such a position that the plungers 34, 35 are raised against the pressure of their springs and withdrawn from engagement with the collars 29, 29 and are held in their outer position by the heads 34", 35" being in engagement with the slots or depressions 37 in the upper edge of the sleeve 37. In Fig. 3 the handle and rod 33 is also shown when withdrawn from engagement with its collar 28 and is retained in its outer position by the pin 39 engaging the shoulder 40 in the sleeve 37. In this position the handle has no operative connection with any part and is freely movable angularly about the shaft 21. ln Fig. 4 the handle is shown in its inner position, the plunger 33 engaging the slot in collar 28. and the pin 39 being disengaged from the shoulder 10 and engaging the slot 33. Turning the handle will turn the sleeve 37 to any position desired and in Fig. i the sleeve is shown turned through an angle of 99 from the position shown in Fig. 3 so that the head of the plunger 34 has dropped into the cut away cam portion and is forced by its spring into engagement with the slot in collar 29. in this position the collar 29 and its controlling arm 36 is locked to "the shaft 21, but the collar 29' is unlocked because the head of plun er 35 is retained in its upper position by eing seated in the upper end of the slot 38. When the handle is now turned 180 the position shown in Fig. 5 results". in passing to this position the head of plunger 34 rides up on one of the cam inclines 37' and is retained in its upper position by the sleeve 37, but the head of plunger 35 has slid down on one of the cam surfaces 37 so as to permit plunger 35 to engage the collar 29. Tu ,this position the collar 29 and its controlling arm'36 is locked to the shaft 21 and actuated thereby; lln either of the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the llltl handle 32 may be raised and retained in its outer position by the pin 39 engaging the during the movement thereof in any one direction lights can be simultaneously dimmed and other brightened, and the reverse operation of the drive wheel and shaft will give the reverse efi'ect. By manipulation of the coupling units, the parts can be coupled so that any set of lamps desired will be brightened while any other desired set are dimmed, or the lights can be dimmed simultaneously or all brightened by actuation of the main drive shaft. Thus consider the left hand unit of Fig. 1 with the parts as shown in Fig. 2. Here the shaft 21 has been turned to its limiting position in a counter clockwise direction and the lug 25 is against the right hand stop 26. In coming to this position the arm 36' was driven by the shaft 21 by reason of the collar 29' being locked to the shaft by the plunger 35 and rod 33 being in engagement with the collars 29' and 28 as shown in Fig.

5. The collar 29 was uncoupled and free to move so that while the arm 36' was being raised to the position shown in Fig. 2 and thereby driving the contact arm to the resistance-all-out position, the hub 14 was driving the chain 15 and rod 17 and arm 36 to its lower position as shown in Fig. 2. The end of arm 36 is stamped, marked or colored to indicate bright and when the arm is in its upper position this marking will be apparent to the operator so that he knows the rheostat is then in its resistanceall-out position and that the lights are bright. The end of the arm 36 is marked, stamped or colored to indicate dim and in its lower position as shown in Fig. 2 it is practically out of the view of the operator. 1

Now when the operator turns the drive shaft 21 from the position shown in Fig. 2 in a clockwise direction, the arm 36' is thereby turned downwardly and operates the rheostat contact arm to cut out resistance until it reaches the limiting resistance-allin position, at which time the lug 25 comes against the left hand stop 26. During this movement the arm 36 will be raised because it will be driven by the hub 14 and chain 15'. In its upper position the marking which indicates dim will then be apparent to the operator and he will known that that particular rheostat is in the position for dimming the lights on its circuit. Thus the condition of the lights on any circuit will be indicated to the operator by the marking on the arms 36,- 36' according to which one of them is raised to come within his vision and thus the apparatus will always indicate the condition of the circuits.

Now suppose it be desired to control the lights on the left hand rheostat so that actuation of the drive shaft in a counter clockwise direction will cause the rheostat arm 12 to move to the resistance-all-in position, instead of to the resistance-all-out position. In that case it is merely, necessary to turn the handle 32 of the unit controlled,

so that the plunger 35 is withdrawn from the collar 29- and the plunger 34 allowed to drop into its slot in collar 29 so that the position shown in Fig. 4 is assumed by the parts, the collar 29 being rotated if necessary to the position to receive the locking plunger 34. With this connection of the parts, rotation of the drive shaft in a counter clockwise direction will raise the arm 36 and cause the rheostat to be in resistance-all-in position when the arm 36 is in its upper position and showing the condition of the lights-to be dimmed. During this movement the arm 36 will be idly driven by the rheostat hub to its lower position. Obviously movement of the main drive shaft in a clockwise direction will cause the arm 36 to be driven .to its lowest position, putting the contact arm in the resistance-all-out position, and the arm' 36"will be driven idly to its upper position and indicate"bright as the condition of the lamps.

It is thus apparent by means of my invention any individual lighting circuit or groups of lights can .be dimmed while other lights or groups of lights are being brightened and this will be accomplished by rotation of the main drive shaft in one direction and the reverse effects by rotationin the opposite direction; and to do this it is merely necessary to adjust the plungers controlled by each of the handles 32 in such a way that one or the other of the collars 29,

29' will be driven by the shaft, according to the results desired in the different circuits controlled. It is also evident that individual adjustment of each rheostat by its respective handle can beobtained independently of the drive shaft, by merely withdrawing the handle rod 33 from its collar 28 and leaving one of the plungers 34 or '35 in engagement with its collar.

It will also be understood that instead of having the rods 1?, 17' connected to reversely operate the contact arm of one rheostat, one rod 17 may be connected to operate the contact arm of one rheostat in one direction and the rod 17 connected to operate the contact arm of an adjoining rheostat, in which case the shafts of the rheostats would be coupled together, as indicated in the right hand part of Fig. 1. In this case two rheostats and their separate circuits are operated in the same way to control their circuit or circuits, but if desired one rheostat could be reversed with reference to the other so that in that case they would always operate oppositely to each other.

Thus my invention ofiers convenient and simple means for quick adjustmentof individual rheostats to give any desired result in control of the different circuits by rotation of the drive shaft in one direction, from the one extreme of causing all lights controlled to be dimmed or all to be brightened, or any desired circuits to be dimmed while the others are, being brightened and conversely; also individual manipulation of any circuit can be made if desired, or caused to be inactive at certain times if desired. The apparatus is also compactly arranged and if desired the controlling rheostats can be located at a distance or outside of the operators booth and connected to the controlling means by suitable lengths of rods 17 and 17'.

Although I have illustrated and described one embodiment of my' invention, various changes and modifications may be made to suit particular requirements, without departing from the scope of my invention. instead of controlling rheostats, any other adjustable circuit controlling devices may be controlled.

ll claim:

1. The combination of a bank of controlling rheostats, a movable contact element for each of said rheostats, a pair of actuating elements operatively connected with each of said contact elements respectively, said actuating elements of each pair being simultaneously movable in opposite directions to each other, a common drive shaft, and a manually adjustable coupling device between said shaft and each of said pair of actuating elements respectively, whereby each of said contact elements may be moved in either direction desired when said shaft moves in one direction.

2. The combination of a bank of controlling rheostats, a movable contact-element for each of said rheostats, a pair of actuating elements operatively connected with each of said contact elements respectively, said actuating elements of each pair being simultaneously movable in opposite directions to each other, a common drive shaft, and a manually adjustable coupling device between said shaft and each of said pair of actuating elements respectively, whereby each of said cont-act elements may be moved in either direction desired when said shaft moves in one direction and adapted also to be operated manually independently of said drive shaft.

aeaaooa 3. The combination of a plurality of elec= tric circuit controlling devices, a common drive shaft therefor, and a plurality of coupling devices between said shaft/and said controlling devices each of said coupling devices comprising a pair of elements loosely mounted on said shaft, connecting means between said elements and certain of said controlling devices, and manually adjustable means for connecting either of said elements with said shaft.

4. The combination of a plurality of electric circuit controlling devices, a common drive shaft therefor, and a plurality of coupling devices between said shaft and said .controlling devices each of said coupling devices comprising a pair of elements loosely mounted on said shaft, connecting means between said elements and certain of said controlling devices, and manually adjustable means for connecting either of said elements with said shaft and for operating one of said elements independently of said shaft.

5. The combination of a plurality of electric circuit controlling devices, a common drive shaft therefor, and a plurality of coupling devices between said shaft and said controlling devices each of said coupling devices comprisin a pair of elements loosely mounted on said shaft, connecting means between said elementsand certain of said controlling devices, and manually adjustable means for connecting either of said elements with said shaft, said manually adjustable means comprising a frame loosely mounted on said shaft, adjustable means carried by said frame, and a handle for adjusting said means.

6. The combination of a plurality of electric circuit controlling devices, a common drive shaft therefor, and a plurality of coupling devices between said shaft and said controlling devices each of said coupling devices comprising a pair of elements loosely mounted on said shaft, connecting means between said elements and certain of said controlling devices, and manually adjustable means for connecting either of said elements with said shaft, said manually adjustable means comprising a frame loosely mounted on said shaft, a plurality of plungers carried by said frame, and a handle for adjusting said plungers.

7. The combination of a plurality of electric circuit controlling devices, a common drive shaft therefor, and a plurality of coupling devices between said shaft and said controlling devices each of said coupling devices comprising a pair of elements loosely mounted on said shaft, connecting means between said elements and certain of said controlling devices, and manually adjustable means for connectin either of said elements with said shaft, said manually adjustable means comprising a frame loosely mounted its on said shaft, three plungers carried by said frame, and a handle for adjusting the position of each ofsaid plungers.

8. The combination of a plurality of electric circuit controlling devices, a common drive shaft therefor, and a plurality of coupling devices between said shaft and said controlling devices each of said coupling devices comprisin a pair of elements loosely mounted on sai shaft, connecting means between said elements and certain of said controlling devices, and manually adjustable means for connecting either of said elements with said shaft, said manually adjustable means comprising a frame loosely mounted on said shaft, three plungers carried by said frame, one of said p ungers for locking said frame to said shaft and two .of the said plungers for locking either of said elements to said frame, and a single handle for adjusting the position of each of said plungers.

9. The combination of a plurality of electric circuit controlling devices, a common drive shaft therefor, and a plurality of coupling devices between said shaft and said controlling devices each of said coupling devices comprisin a pair of elements loosely mounted on sai shaft, connecting means between said elements and certain of said controlling. devices, and manually adjustable means for connecting either of said elements with said shaft, said manually adjustable means comprising aframe loosely mounted on said shaft, three plungers carried by said frame, a handle connected to one of said plungers for locking said frame to said shaft, and means controlled by movement of saidhandle for adjusting two of said plungers for locking either of said elements to said frame.

10. The combination of a bank of controllin rheostats subdivided into units, a

elements for each of said pair 0 actuatin 5 pair being movable in one units, one of sai direction when the other of said .pair moves 48 in the opposite direction, a common drive shaft, a pair of elements loosely mounted on said .shaft connected respectively to each of said pairs of actuating elements, and a plurality of adjustable devices for coupling to said shaft either one of said loosely mounted elements of each of said pairs.

11. The combination of a bank of controlling rheostats subdivided into units, a pair of actuating elements for each of said units, one of said pair bein movable in one direction when the other 0 said pair moves in the opposite direction, acommon drive shaft, a pair of elements loosely mounted on said shaft connected respectively to each of said pairs of actuating elements, and an adjustable device for each of said pair of loosely mounted elements, each of said devices comprising a single manual element for connecting-one or the other of each of said plalairs of loosely mounted elements to said s a 1 Y 12. The cpmbination of a bank of controlling rheo-s lts'subdivided into units, a pair of actuating elements for each of said units, one of said pair being movable in one direction when the other of said pair moves in the opposite direction, a common drive shaft, a pair of elements loosely mounted on said shaft connected respectively to each of '75 said pairs of actuating elements, and an adjustable device for each of said pair of loosely mounted elements, each of said devices comprising a single manual element for connecting one or the other of each of 80 said pairs of loosely mounted elements to said shaft, and also for uncoupling both of said loosely mounted elements from said shaft and connecting one or the other of said loosely mounted elements to said manual element.

WILLIAM SCHWAGERMYANN. 

